Chevron bundle tie

ABSTRACT

A one-piece bundle tie comprising a strap having at one end a lock member into which the other end of the strap can be inserted. One face of the strap is provided with a plurality of transverse teeth, each tooth having locking faces formed as a chevron. The lock member comprises a head having an aperture therethrough to pass the strap and a pawl carried therein, the distal faces of the pawl having a chevron configuration in correspondence to and for cooperative engagement with the chevron-formed tooth faces of the strap. The pawl is dependent from a ledge within the locking head aperture, the ledge having lateral faces extending between opposite walls of the aperture and spaced from said opposite walls to impart flexure to the pawl.

United @tates Patent [191 Rosales CHEVRON BUNDLE TIE [75] Inventor: Louis A. Rosales, Manhattan Beach,

Calif.

[73] Assignee: Western Filament, Inc., Glendale,

Calif.

[22] Filed: Feb. 28, 1972 [21] Appl. N0.: 229,722

[451 May 29, 1973 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 518,012 3/1953 Belgium ..24/l6 PB Primary Examiner-Donald A. Griffin Attorney-Robert Berliner [57] ABSTRACT A one-piece bundle tie comprising a strap having at one end a lock member into which the other end of the strap can be inserted. One face of the strap is provided with a plurality of transverse teeth, each tooth having locking faces formed as a chevron. The lock member comprises a head having an aperture therethrough to pass the strap and a pawl carried therein, the distal faces of the pawl having a chevron configuration in correspondence to and for cooperative engagement with the chevron-formed tooth faces of the strap. The pawl is dependent from a ledge within the locking head aperture, the ledge having lateral faces extending between opposite walls of the aperture and spaced from said opposite walls to impart flexure to the pawl.

8 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures CHEVRON BUNDLE TIE FIELD OF THE INVENTION BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A wide variety of bundle ties are known which include a strap portion and locking head at one end thereof and in which the strap portion is provided on one face with a plurality of teeth for selective engagement with a locking pawl carried within the head. In

this regard, see U.S. Pat. Nos. 588,848, 876,402, 1,003,907, 1,663,621, 1,823,043, 2,361,506, 2,759,390, 2,936,980, 2,979,794, 3,086,265, 3,099,054, 3,102,311, 3,127,648, De 201,798, 3,353,327, 3,368,247, 3,376,004, 3,484,905,

3,490,104 and 3,605,199. Although a great many de signs and arrangements are shown by such art, the securing action of the ties are generally limited to the effectiveness of the strap-head lock arrangement. Furthermore, the configuration of the locking pawl often limits flexibility thereby limiting the extent of engagement of the pawl with the locking face of the strap tooth.

The present invention provides a bundle tie of onepiece resilient construction having features which not only aid in forming a securely locked disposition around a bundle of cables or the like, but which also provide a gripping surface for direct frictional engagement with the cables or other bundled components to an extent not heretofore achieved. These characteristics are obtained by using a chevron configuration for the strap teeth and for the distal, tooth engaging end of the locking head pawl, and is aided by a cantilever support for the pawl within the locking head.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FlG..1l is a perspective view of a bundle tie of this invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged plan view of the head end of the tie;

FIG. 3 is a cross section taken on line 3-3 of FIG. 2, in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 4 is a cross section taken on line 4-4 of FIG. 3, in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 5 is a cross section similar to that of FIG. 4 but with the free end of the strap engaged by the pawl;

FIG. 6 is a side, somewhat diagrammatic view of the bundle tie in a locked position; and

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the underside of the free strap end taken on line 7-7 of FIG. 1, in the direction of the arrows.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, the bundle tie consists of a strap 10 and a lock member 12 constructed in one piece of a resilient, yet generally shape-retaining plastic such as nylon, polyethylene, polyvinylchloride, or the like. The strap 10 has a plurality of teeth 14 each in the form of a chevron and raised from the planar face of the strap. Thus, each tooth 14 is formed with locking faces 16 and 18 forming an acute angle with a longitudinal medial axis 20 of the strap, the faces 16 and 18 meeting at the medial axis to form a wedge or chevron shape. An obtuse angle, such as at 22, is formed by the joinder of the two faces 16 and 18, but other angles are comprehended within the broader aspects of the invention. The strap 10 is formed with a tapered leading end 24 to facilitate insertion into the head 12.

The head 12 is formed with an aperture 26 which extends therethrough, the rear face 28 of the head being uninterrupted and the front face 30 having a ledge 32 (see FIG. 5) extending in cantilever fashion therefrom. The ledge 32 is formed with lateral faces 34 and 36 which are spaced from the opposite side walls 38 and 40, respectively, of the head 12.

A pawl 42 is carried by the ledge 32, dependent therefrom with its proximal end merged with the distal end of the ledge 32, as shown at 44. See also, FIG. 4 where it can be seen that the longitudinal axis 46 of the pawl 42 forms an obtuse angle 48 with the top surface of the ledge 32, the distal end of the pawl 42 being spaced from the rear face 28 of the head a distance substantially the width 50 of the planar strap portion, allowing entry of the strap 10 therebetween. The distal end of the pawl 42 is spaced from the front face 30 of the pawl head 12. By forming the lateral faces 34 and 36 of the ledge 32 spaced from the head side walls 38 and 40, a cantilever support for the pawl 42 is provided whereby the pawl may be readily flexed toward the front head wall 30 by the ratchet action of the strap teeth 14.

The pawl 42 has a pair of distal faces 52 and 54 which join to form a chevron configuration in correspondence to, and for cooperative engagement with, the chevron configurated faces 16 and 18 of the strap teeth 14. Thus, as illustrated particularly in FIG. 3, the distal pawl faces 52 and 54 join to form an obtuse angle 56 which is substantially the same as the angle 22 (FIG. 2) formed by joinder of the faces 16 and 18 of each strap tooth 14. Referring specifically to FIG. 4, the locking faces of each strap tooth 14 is formed to extend from the planar face of the strap 10 at an acute angle 58 with respect to the longitudinal axis 60 of the strap 10. Each distal face, such as 52, of the pawl 42 is formed at substantially the same angle 62 with respect to the axis 64 of the head aperture 26. There is thus assured a close, cooperative, locking engagement between the pawl 42 and strap teeth 14.

Referring to FIGS. 5 and 6, when it is desired to secure a bundle of cables (shown by dashed lines 66), or the like, the strap 10 is looped upon itself to curve around the cables 66 so that the leading edge 24 is passed through the head 12. The strap teeth 14 cause a ratchet-like flexure of the pawl 42 until the strap 10 is passed through the head a desired distance, whereupon the distal pawl faces 52 and 54 matingly engage the selected tooth faces 16 and 18, locking the strap 10 against withdrawal of the head 12. When the strap 10 has been pulled through the head 12 forming a tight securement of the cables 66, the chevron configurated teeth 14 bear directly against the cables 66 and, as a result of the chevron configuration thereof, bite against the surfaces of the cables 66 securely gripping the cables and preventing their rotational displacement. The gripping action of the chevron configurated teeth 14, as a result of the angle of contact thereat, is an effective deterrent against slippage of the strap 10 along the lengths of the cables 66.

Referring now to FIG. 7, the under surface 68 of the terminal strap end 24 is beaded to provide a roughened 3 grip surface 70, facilitating tight wrapping of the strap around the cables 66.

As required, details of an illustrative embodiment of the invention have been disclosed. However, it is to be understood that this embodiment merely exemplifies the invention which may take forms different from the specific illustrative embodiment disclosed. Therefore, specific structural and functional details are not necessarily to be interpreted as limiting, but as a basis for the claims appended hereto.

I claim:

1. A one-piece bundle tie of resilient, but generally shape-retaining material adapted to be looped upon itself in adjustable self-locking relation, comprising:

a strap portion having a plurality of transverse teeth spaced longitudinally thereof, each tooth having faces forming a chevron;

a head at one end of said portion, said head having an aperture therethrough to pass the strap;

a pawl carried in said aperture, said pawl having distal faces forming a chevron configuration in correspondence to, and for cooperative engagement with, a said chevron formed tooth, said distal end extending into the path of said strap to engage a selected one of said teeth when said strap is passed through said head.

2. The invention according to claim 1 including a ledge extending into said aperture from a wall thereof, said pawl being carried by said ledge dependent therefrom.

3. The invention according to claim 2 in which said ledge has a width dimension between lateral faces thereof extending between opposite walls of said aperture, said lateral ledge faces in the vicinity of said pawl being spaced from said opposite walls.

4. The invention according to claim 2 in which the proximal end of said pawl merges into said ledge.

5. The invention according to claim 2 in which said proximal end of said pawl is spaced from said wall.

6. The invention according to claim 1 in which said distal pawl face is in substantially full abutment with the cooperating face of a selected tooth when said strap is passed through said head.

7. The invention according to claim 1 wherein each tooth has locking faces at acute angles to the longitudinal axis of said strap portion and each distal face of said pawl is at substantially the same angle to the axis of said aperture whereby the distal pawl faces and the locking tooth faces, when in locking condition, are in face-toface abutment.

8. The invention according to claim 1 wherein at least one face of the free end of said strap is formed with a roughened grip surface. 

1. A one-piece bundle tie of resilient, but generally shaperetaining material adapted to be looped upon itself in adjustable self-locking relation, comprising: a strap portion having a plurality of transverse teeth spaced longitudinally thereof, each tooth having faces forming a chevron; a head at one end of said portion, said head having an aperture therethrough to pass the strap; a pawl carried in said aperture, said pawl having distal faces forming a chevron configuration in correspondence to, and for cooperative engagement with, a said chevron formed tooth, said distal end extending into the path of said strap to engage a selected one of said teeth when said strap is passed through said head.
 2. The invention according to claim 1 including a ledge extending into said aperture from a wall thereof, said pawl being carried by said ledge dependent therefrom.
 3. The invention according to claim 2 in which said ledge has a width dimension between lateral faces thereof extending between opposite walls of said aperture, said lateral ledge faces in the vicinity of said pawl being spaced from said opposite walls.
 4. The invention according to claim 2 in which the proximal end of said pawl merges into said ledge.
 5. The invention according to claim 2 in which said proximal end of said pawl is spaced from said wall.
 6. The invention according to claim 1 in which said distal pawl face is in substantially full abutment with the cooperating face of a selected tooth when said strap is passed through said head.
 7. The invention according to claim 1 wherein each tooth has locking faces at acute angles to the longitudinal axis of said strap portion and each distal face of said pawl is at substantially the same angle to the axis of said aperture whereby the distal pawl faces and the locking tooth faces, when in locking condition, are in face-to-face abutment.
 8. The invention according to claim 1 wherein at least one face of the free end of said strap is formed with a roughened grip surface. 